This invention relates to a taxidermy mold which includes means for holding an artificial eye within the mold during the molding process so that the eye can be accurately positioned and molded into a taxidermy form. The invention according to this application also includes a method for holding an artificial eye within a taxidermy mold during the molding process. The taxidermy mold and method according to this invention maintains proper alignment of the artificial eyes and also seals the eye socket recess in the mold against the leakage of hardenable liquid foam during molding.
The completed taxidermy form is then used by a taxidermist on which to mount an animal skin. The end product is typically mounted on a wall as a trophy.
Obviously, the taxidermist desires to make the trophy as lifelike as possible. For this reason, very carefully manufactured glass or plastic eyes are inserted into sockets in the taxidermy form. One way of accomplishing this is for the taxidermist himself to insert the eyes into the sockets of the completed taxidermy form at the same time as he applies the skin. This procedure was invariably followed in the past and is still used by many taxidermists today. However, this procedure is time consuming and relatively complicated. Since many glass eyes include a pupil, care must be taken to properly align the pupil in relation to the mold so that the eye appears to be as natural and lifelike as possible. There are a number of axes on which the eye must be properly aligned for it to appear lifelike and to constitute a correct anatomical representation of an animal.
Because of the time and expense required and lack of consistently accurate results achieved by taxidermist-inserted eyes, some manufacturers of taxidermy forms now mold the eye into the form at the same time as the form itself is poured. The form is made by pouring hardenable polyurethane liquid foam into a cavity formed by two mold parts which are placed together. Recesses are provided in the interior walls of the mold parts and an eye is releasably secured to each of the recesses. The rear of each eye projects outwardly into the cavity. As the liquid hardens, the eye is molded into the taxidermy form.
For this procedure to work, the eye must be properly aligned so that when the skin is applied to the taxidermy form, the eyes appear in their natural and anatomically correct position. This is difficult to do, since, when the eye is inserted into the recess in the interior wall of the mold parts, the outer surface of the eye cannot be seen. Furthermore, once the eye is properly aligned, the eye must be maintained in exactly that position during the pouring process and afterwards until the foam has hardened and the mold parts can be removed to expose the form. Any such means of maintaining the eye in its precise alignment must also release the eye from the eye socket recess of the mold parts when the mold is removed from the completed form.
The Rinehard U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,522 discloses the use of a cleanable adhesive which is placed between the eye socket recess and the front portion of the eye. The adhesive holds the eye in the eye socket recess during the molding process. When the two mold parts of the mold are separated, the adhesive stays on the surface of the eye and the adhesive is cleaned from the eye after the form is removed from the mold.
There are a number of disadvantages to this practice. First, a significant amount of adhesive, cumulatively, is used since the adhesive sticks to the eye. Obviously, a new supply of adhesive must be applied to the eye socket recess before each mold is poured. Furthermore, the fact that an additional step is required simply to remove the adhesive. These disadvantages substantially increase the time and expense necessitated by securing the eye into the eye socket recess in this manner.